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Planning commission clears Southtown Phase 2 preliminary plat for 193-lot subdivision amid neighborhood opposition
Summary
Commission approved preliminary plat SPP24-39 for Southtown Phase 2, a 193-lot single-family subdivision; public comment raised traffic, drainage, road maintenance and emergency-response concerns; approval requires wetlands, utility and ALDOT conditions to be met before construction plans.
The Baldwin County Planning and Zoning Commission approved SPP24-39, Southtown Phase 2, on Feb. 6, granting preliminary plat approval for a 193-lot single-family subdivision south of County Road 48 and west of State Highway 59 in Planning District 18. Staff’s recommendation for approval included several conditions: set aside jurisdictional wetlands shown on Lot 88 as common area, obtain verification from Alabama Power that the company does not object to the development because of easements crossing the site, correct E-911 address submissions, and show certain lot widths at building setbacks for narrower lots.
The developer’s representative told the commission the site has existing partial infrastructure from an earlier, defunct subdivision effort and that City of Robertsdale has confirmed capacity to serve the project; staff said a traffic study was submitted and accepted by the permit engineer and that ALDOT’s permit manager indicated no roadway improvements were warranted at the County Road 48/State Highway 59 intersection at this time. Staff also said wetlands were delineated and that fire-flow testing met requirements.
The public hearing drew extensive comment from nearby residents who said County Road 48/65 and nearby intersections already experience heavy traffic and accidents and that existing roads show deterioration from recent development. Residents asked who will maintain roads, how stormwater detention would affect adjacent yards, whether existing easements and deeded access would be preserved, and whether proposed development would be annexed into Robertsdale. Staff and the applicant said roads within the new subdivision are intended to be county roads once accepted, that developer-installed improvements must meet county construction standards and pass inspections, and that any damage to existing county-maintained access roads from construction would be repaired at the developer’s expense.
Staff clarified that many design and permitting details are handled at construction-plan review and that the preliminary-plat approval is contingent on the listed conditions being satisfied prior to construction. After discussion the commission approved the preliminary plat subject to staff conditions. The applicant must provide required verification and updated plats, and must complete construction-plan review and any required ALDOT coordination before construction can begin.
